MIRANDA PAK WRITES- With all the tension and protests in Hong Kong, it’s not surprising that media censorship is on the rise. Two recent reports show the decline of Hong Kong’s press freedom. The PEN American Center, a literary society and human rights organization, released a report stating that media self-censorship…
Full Article HONG KONG: Hope for the MediaBuilding something from the ground up is a daunting task. Whether it’s a new business start-up or a book manuscript, the process is a labor of love. You put everything you have into it, often sacrificing things along the way to make your dream a reality. Ultimately, it’s an immense…
Full Article FROM THE PUBLISHER’S OFFICE: A Story of Risk and Reward
NICK ARMER WRITES – Though the election of President Hassan Rouhani came with the hope of a more moderate Iranian government, the result has been quite the opposite. The Iranian authorities have brought forth tighter controls on the media and strict punishments for those bold enough to voice controversial beliefs.…
Full Article IRAN: Give Tweets a Chance
AMBER VERNETTI WRITES- This week Australia celebrated 2015’s Australia Day, a national holiday which commemorates the 1788 arrival of British ships at Port Jackson in New South Wales and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain under Governor Arthur Phillip. In celebration of this day, awards and appointments to…
Full Article AUSTRALIA: Celebrate Good Times, Come On!
ANNIE LUNDGREN WRITES – The recent pro-democracy uprising in Hong Kong has highlighted Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s growing unpopularity among protesters and their supporters. Since the uprising began in September, the CE has become no fan of electoral reform in Hong Kong. Currently, chief executive candidates are nominated by a…
Full Article HONG KONG: Thumbs Down for Leung Chun-ying
AMBER VERNETTI WRITES – While the Academy Awards celebrates movies, the Asian Media Awards celebrate the accomplishments of those in media. On Tuesday October 28, Hilton Deansgate in Manchester, United Kingdom held the second annual Asian Media Awards, celebrating the work of journalists, actors, TV personalities, and marketing professionals. Pakistani…
Full Article ASIAN MEDIA AWARDS: And the Award Goes to…
AMBER VERNETTI WRITES: China’s influence over outside media outlets is increasing in countries like Australia, analysts report. This ‘soft power’ approach is China’s way of keeping in touch with one million Chinese Australians while censoring what is included in the Chinese language news sources and favoring state-generated content. John Fitzgerald,…
Full Article AUSTRALIA: Tell Us the Whole Story, China